Throughout this disclosure, various publications, patents and patent applications are referenced. The disclosures of these publications, patents and applications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure in order to more fully describe the state of the art as known to those skilled therein as of the date of the invention described and claimed herein.
The present invention relates to gel formulations containing polypeptide growth factors having human mitogenic or angiogenic activity.
The human polypeptide growth factors are molecules that regulate the growth of normal human cells. Many human polypeptide growth factors have been identified and their chemical structures determined. Those falling within this group are: epidermal growth factor (EGF), acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II), and nerve growth factor (NGF). Because of their ability to stimulate cell growth, the human polypeptide growth factors have been described as being useful in stimulating the wound healing process.
Heretofore, there has not been provided a suitable delivery system for any growth factor, for use in treating wounds. In particular, it is desirable to have a delivery system that controls the release of the growth factor to the wound and adheres to or maintains itself on the wound for an extended period of time in order to increase the contact time of the growth factor to the wound. The present invention provides such delivery systems in the form of gels containing growth factors. Biocompatible gel materials may be used to deliver a growth factor to a wound and provide the advantages of a controlled profile of delivery and a moist environment for the wound.